Audi Q3 vs Mazda 3

What's the difference?

VS
Audi Q3
Audi Q3

$58,700 - $84,400

2026 price

Mazda 3
Mazda 3

$25,490 - $44,998

2024 price

Summary

2026 Audi Q3
2024 Mazda 3
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 1.5L

Inline 4, 2.5L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
5.8L/100km (combined)

6.6L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • No PHEV option (yet)
  • A few rattles in our test car
  • Small back seat

  • Small boot
  • Gloomy rear seat
  • No more manual
2026 Audi Q3 Summary

Replacing a popular model is fraught with danger. Existing customers will tell you they love it, while focus groups of non-customers will tell you why they hate it and sometimes carmakers get caught trying to appease both groups.

Sometimes they’ll make it too big or change too much in the search for more sales and ultimately end up removing the elements that made it popular in the first place.

Which is why Audi has been extra careful with some subtle evolution for this new-generation Q3 SUV and Sportback. This isn’t just a popular model for Audi Australia, it has been the best-selling model for the German brand for more than five years, so getting it wrong would be a disaster.

View full pricing & specs
2024 Mazda 3 Summary

Half a decade on, the current-generation Mazda 3 has weathered a world of change.

Cheap cars have vanished. Electric vehicles are commonplace and the small car class it belongs to has been decimated by SUVs. Big names like the Ford Focus, Holden Astra and Mitsubishi Lancer are history.

But while it looks identical to the car unveiled at the 2018 LA Auto Show, today’s Mazda 3 has also evolved, albeit gently.

Let’s see how competitive the latest and improved (as well as more expensive) version is.

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2026 Audi Q3 2024 Mazda 3

Change vehicle